Hat



Jan. 2, 1940. L. o. WISMAN 2,185,717

HAT

Filed Sept. 27, 1957 H/5 ATTORNEY sheet material.

Patented Jan. 2, 1940 UNITED STATES HAT Lauren Otho Wisman, Walnut Creek, Calif., assignor to E. D. Bullard Company, San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of California Application September 27, 1937 Serial No. 165,842

2 Claims.

My invention relates to safety hats; and the broad object of the invention is to provide improved reinforcing means for such a hat.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of my invention. It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to this disclosure of species of my invention, as I may adopt variant embodiments thereof within the scope of the claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a hat embodying the improvements of my invention; and

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the sweat band and head strap mounting.

In terms of broad inclusion, the safety hat of my invention comprises a crown and a reinforcing member of stiff material lying inside the crown for reinforcing the latter. The crown in which the reinforcing member is disposed is preferably formed from hard compacted sheet material to provide a one-piece dome construction, and the reinforcing member is preferably shaped complementary thereto so as to lie against the inner surface of the crown. A sweat band and head straps are also provided, and means fastened to the reinforcing member are provided for supporting these elements.

In greater detail, and referring to the drawings, the hat of my invention comprises a dome shaped crown 2 and an integrally formed brim 3, pressed from a single blank of hard compacted The sheet used is preferably a densely compacted fibrous material, such as vulcanized fiber. After being formed, the hat is painted, or otherwise treated, for waterproofing.

A reinforcing member of stifi material, also preferably of vulcanized fiber, is disposed in the crown. This reinforcing member is shaped complementary to and lies against the inner surface of the crown; and comprises a body portion l coextensive with and underlying the dome portions of the crown. The member also has a plurality of depending leg portions 6 extending down toward the base of the crown. Four of these legs are preferably provided, as shown in Figure 2; and the member is preferably shaped to form curved arches 1 between the legs.

To further stiffen the reinforcing member a series of ribs 8 are formed in it. These ribs are preferably pressed out of the sheet material, and radiate from the center of the body portion 4 and extend downwardly along the leg portions. The ribs may project upwardly to lie against the crown surface, or may project interiorly of the crown.

Means are provided for supporting the hat on a wearers head. For this purpose a sweat band 9 and head straps II are arranged in the crown. The head straps are of flexible material such as fabric, and the sweat band is preferably of a relatively stiff flexible material such as Celluloid. Such a band has rigidity, yet readily shapes itself to the wearers head. The lower edge of the band is flared out slightly for comfort and the ends are preferably cemented together by a lap joint to form a continuous band. As shown in Figure 2, one of the lapping ends of the band is offset to form a smooth inner surface.

The band and head straps are fastened to the lower and upper ends respectively of a plurality of supporting tabs I2. These tabs are of a relatively stiff material, such as fiber, and are pivotally mounted intermediate their ends by rivets l4 passing through the crown and the legs 6 of the reinforcing member. The hat supporting means is thus fastened to both the crown and reinforcing member; the same rivets serving to secure the reinforcing member in the crown.

Sweat band 9 is detachably connected to the lower ends of supporting tabs l2 by snap fasteners l6, so that a new band may be snapped in at any time. One of the fasteners is preferably located at the overlapping ends of the band, so that the rivet of the fastener serves to additionally secure the ends together. Another feature of these fasteners is that they provide. a pivot connection between the sweat band and supporting tabs. As a result of the band and tabs both being pivoted, the tabs are free to swing from side to side to fit the particular shape of the wearers head. This flexibility of the sweat band and its mounting adds materially to the comfort of the wearer.

Head straps H are fastened through slots I! provided at the upper widened ends of tabs l2,

and are held by beads l8 lying back of the tabs.

The upper 5 both the reinforcing member and the crown, and

therefore the hat is doubly strengthened at the points of support. Furthermore, the reinforcing member, being coextensive with the dome portions of the crown, gives double protection. at the 0 domewhere objects are most likely to strike.

Also, the leg portions of the reinforcing member, extending down along the sides of the crown, give added strength to the side walls.

The amount of sheet material in the reinforc- 5 ing member is relatively small, thus adding but little weight to the hat; yet the member adds greatly to thestrength of the crown;--the dome shape of the member, the arching edges 1 be.- tween the legs, and the stiffening ribs 8 all con 20 tributing to the strength and rigidity of the unit.

' If desired, the rivets I4 may be arranged to penetrate the reinforcing member on1y,thus leaving the outer surface of the crown smooth and unobstructed. In this case the reinforcing memher is fastened to the crown by separate means, as by cementing it to the crown.

I claim:

1. A safety hat comprising a crown, a domeshaped reinforcing member within the crown and lying in free surface contact with the dome of the crown, said member having depending leg portions extending downwardly toward the base of the crown and having recesses between the legs and extending upwardly into the body of the member, the recesses being concave to form reinforcing arches between said depending legs, and means for fastening the legs to the crown.

2. A. safety hat comprising a crown shaped from a single sheet of stiff fibrous material to present an uninterrupted crown surface, a domeshaped reinforcing member of similar material within the crown and lying in free surface contact with the dome of the crown, the side portions of said member extending downwardly 20 toward the base of the crown,-and means for fastening the lower portions of said member to the base portions of the crown.

LAUREN O'II-IO WISMAN. 

